Penn State women’s basketball (3-0) absolutely demolished Delaware State (0-3) 120-51 at the Bryce Jordan Center Tuesday night to grab its third win of the season. The Lady Lions scored the most points in program history in the victory, breaking the record of 118 that’s stood since 1991.

Carolyn Kieger’s group controlled the game throughout, as the offense and defense worked together perfectly to grab a massive victory. The Lady Lions shot an impressive 56.2% from the field, and forced Delaware State into 37 (!!!) turnovers, which they scored 58 points off of.

Of all the impressive statistical nights, Makenna Marisa’s performance clearly stands out. The junior from McMurray, Pa. finished with a triple-double that included 30 points, 11 assists, and 10 steals. She’s the first Lady Lion to reach the feat since Suzie McConnell, who played for Penn State from 1985-88 and grabbed seven triple-doubles during her time in Happy Valley.

How It Happened

Carolyn Kieger went with a familiar starting five for game three of the young 2021-22 season.

Tonight's starting for @PennStateWBB:

F Ali Brigham
G Niya Beverley
G Leilani Kapinus
F Anna Camden
G Makenna Marisa

— Onward Sports (@OnwardStSports) November 17, 2021

Both teams traded buckets in the opening minutes, but the Lady Lions ended up with the upper hand.

Ali Brigham got things going for Kieger’s squad with a couple of quick lay ups, but the Lady Hornets responded to each early score with buckets of their own. Makenna Marisa and Anna Camden both started to hit their stride on the offensive end, however, and the pair sparked an 8-0 scoring run for Penn State.

Marisa’s second three-ball of the night gave the Lady Lions a 19-11 lead with 4:30 left in the first quarter. Camden was the leader for Penn State early, however, as her seven points paced the group.

Kieger decided to break out a suffocating press out of the first break, and the Lady Lions continued to dominate from there. A ten-second violation for Delaware State, who had just six players on its road roster, proved just how difficult Penn State’s defense was making it for the Lady Hornets.

The Lady Lions didn’t have a huge finish on the offensive end to finish the first frame, but a three from Tova Sabel helped keep a 24-15 lead for Penn State entering the second.

Camden nailed yet another trey out of the break, and that sparked a 13-0 run for Penn State to open the second quarter. Sabel hit another trey, while Niya Beverley also managed to get in on what was a massive run for the Lady Lions. Meanwhile, the Lady Hornets shot 0-for-4 and turned the ball over seven times through the first four minutes and change.

EC Hill’s squad got its feet under them by scoring a couple of buckets, but Marisa quickly responded to that with three fast-break layups. Penn State forced 21 (!!!!) turnovers in the first half, six of which were forced by Marisa. That instant offense helped lead the Lady Lions to a 56-21 margin at the break, and the junior out of McMurray, Pa. was pacing the group with 22 points.

Marisa hit another three to open the second half, while Brigham finished inside and Leilani Kapinus added a few scores. The Lady Lions defense was right there as well, as they quickly forced five turnovers. Things started to get out of hand in the third quarter when Penn State grabbed a 79-27 lead halfway through the period.

Kieger’s group continued to dominate through the third, as the Lady Hornets just couldn’t keep up with Penn State’s offense and effort on defense. A buzzer-beater by Beverley to finish the period gave the Lady Lions a 91-35 lead into the fourth.

Penn State opened the fourth quarter still red-hot, as Marisa hit yet another three-pointer and assisted on scores by Beverley and Kayla Thomas. With that, she became the first Lady Lion to record a triple-double in Big Ten play.

Marisa checked out of the game at that point, but the Lady Lions continued to run it up from there. Shay Hagans checked in and immediately made an impact with some fast-break buckets, while Penn State forced six more turnovers over the course of the fourth. Kieger’s group outscored Delaware State 29-16 in the fourth quarter to finish with a massive 120-51 vicotry.

Takeaways

• Pure domination. That’s all you can say about Tuesday’s game. With just six players, Delaware State couldn’t keep up with Penn State in any way shape or form. The Lady Lions shot 50-for-89 from the field compared to the Lady Hornets’ 37.7%, while Kieger’s group also cleaned up with 20 offensive rebounds and forced a ridiculous 37 turnovers.
• Makenna Marisa is an absolute bucket. The junior guard finished her night with 30 points, 11 assists, and 10 steals. With that, she joins the legendary Suzie McConnell as the only other player in Lady Lions history to record a triple-double. McConnell recorded seven during her time in Happy Valley from 1985-88, but Marisa is the first to reach the milestone for a Penn State squad playing in the Big Ten.
• Outside of Marisa, several other Lady Lions got in on the incredible scoring and defensive effort that culminated in the most dominating win of the Carolyn Kieger era. Niya Beverley, Anna Camden, Tova Sabel, and Shay Hagans all finished in double-figures for scoring, while Hagans also grabbed five steals. Again, not much was stopping Penn State on either side of the ball Tuesday night.

What’s Next?

Penn State will try to keep the momentum rolling when it travels to Clemson, South Carolina to take on the Tigers at 2 p.m. Sunday afternoon. That game will be broadcast on the ACC Network.